Tobacco-ordering machine.



, B. W. GINN.

TOBACCO ORDERING MACHINE.

' APPLIQATION FILED AUG. 16, 1909.

Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

B. W. GINN. TOBACCO ORDERING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16, 1909.

Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

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BLANCH WALDEN GINN, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO LOVELL 6:; BUFFING- TON TOBACCO COMPANY, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, A. CORPORATION OF KEN- TUGKY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

TOBACCO-ORDERING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BLANCH WALDEN GINN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Covington, county of Kenton, and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tobacco- Ordering Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for the moistening and softening of dried leaf tobacco to prepare it for manufacture, and the object of the invention is to provide a very convenient and effective apparatus in which the leaves of tobacco may be softened by easily regulated sprays of steam, and at the same time the dirt and grit deposited by the leaves in passing through the machine may be readily flushed from the machine, and the machine kept thoroughly clean at all times.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a :(36Ilt1'2tl longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the moistening chamber taken on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2.

A frame structure is erected of convenient dimensions comprising side walls 1, 1 and ends or front and rear walls 2, 3, and with a roof 4, 5, raised at the center and sloping downward toward front and rear.

Inside the structure I provide sloping floors 6, 7 preferably parallel with the roof, so as to provide a moistening chamber 8, inclined downwardly from the center toward the front and rear.

9 and 10 are suitable rollers with journal bearings 11, 12, mounted on brackets 13, 14, supported by the frames 15 and 16.

l is an endless flexible conveyer preferably constructed of wire mesh which travels on these rollers 9 and 10 through the moistening chamber 8, and is supported by the central roller 18 at the peak of the chamber and the intermediate rollers 19, 20, .21 and 22. The sides of the conveyer are also guided in the cleats 23, 24, secured along the inside of the side walls.

Distributed at convenient points across the moistening chamber above and below the conveyer are a series of steam pipes 25, each provided with perforations 26, so that sprays of steam may be directed against the tobacco leaves when spread on the conveyer, and all the steam pipes are connected outside the chamber with the main steam pipe 27 from the source of supply, while each pipe is provided with a valve 28, so that any or all of the pipes may be used as desired.

29 is a water pipe which enters the moistening chamber at the peak and is controlled by the valve 30, so that flushing water may be directed across the floor of the chamber to flush and clean same.

The steam pipe 27 is connected with the water pipe 29 by the connection 31 with the valve 32, so that when desired either water or steam or a mixture of the two can be supplied to any of the pipes. Gutters 33, 33 are provided at front and rear to catch and take off the flushing water and the water of condensation from the steam. At the peak of the roof a pipe or flue 34 is provided entering the chamber to carry off any surplus steam.

The journals for the conveyer rollers are mounted on screws 35, so that the rollers can be adjusted to take up the slack of the conveyer and one of the rollers is driven by a pulley 36 and belt 37 from suitable power.

The operation of my apparatus will be apparent from the foregoing description. The endless conveyer is carried slowly through the moistening chamber which is open at front and rear, and the leaves of the tobacco are laid out on the conveyer at the front end. The steam is turned on through the steam pipes in the desired amounts and the leaves thoroughly softened. A considerable amount of grit and dirt is loosened from the leaves and drops upon the inclined floors, andafter the desired amount has been softened and removed from the conveyer at the rear the chamber is flushed out with the water pipe, the condensed steam and flushing water running ofi through the gutters.

Owing to the damage that results to all the tobacco in an ordering machine if the conveyer breaks, and owing to the necessity of a sloping floor beneath the conveyer in the steam chamber in order to drain off dirt deposited by the tobacco,-my device presents distinct advantages over devices now in use. By employing a chamber sloping upward toward the middle, I obtain much steeper surfaces in my steam chamber floor. At the same time, I remove much strain from the conveyer by a better balancing of its path, giving it also a longer path in proportion to the length of the steam. This 'makes my device cleaner, safer and at the not affect the wooden flooring and the sides,

the floor and sides are completely lined with copper or other suitable sheeting.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an apparatus of the character specified, a moistening chamber, provided with a fioor sloping from the middle of the chamber to the front and rear, a perforated conveyer, to carry the tobacco leaves, passing through said chamber upwardly to the middle of the chamber and thence downwardly to the rear with steam pipes in said chamber extending across above and below the conveyer having perforations to distribute the steam through the chamber.

2. In an apparatus of the character specified, a moistening chamber, having an inclined floor from the central portion to the front and rear, an endless perforated conveyer traveling through said chamber in a path parallel with'the floor and steam pipes in said chamber extending across above and below the conveyer to distribute steam on both sides thereof, with a water pipe at the highest point of said floor to supply flushing water for said chamber.

3. In an apparatus of the character specified, a moistening chamber, having a roof and a floor parallel with each other and both inclined from the central portion to the front and'rear, an endless perforated conveyer in a path midway between floor and roof and parallel thereto, with steam pipes in said chamber extending across above and below the conveyer to distribute steam on both sides thereof, means for propelling the conveyer through the chamber from frontto rear and a water pipe at the peak of said floor to flush the chamber with water.

4;. In an apparatus of the character specitied, a moistening chamber, provided with a floor sloping from the middle of the chamber to the front and rear, a perforated conveyer, to carry the tobacco leaves, passing through said chamber upwardly to the middle of the chamber and thence downwardly to the rear, with steam pipes in said chamber extending laterally across above and be low the conveyer, having perforations to distribute the steam through the chamber, a pipe entering said chamber from the top to carry off the surplus steam, and a water pipe at the highest point of said floor to furnish flushing water therefor.

5. In an apparatus of the character specified, a moistening chamber, provided with a floor sloping from the middle of the chamber to the front and rear, a perforated conveyer, to carry the tobacco leaves, passing through said chamber upwardly to the middle of the chamber and thence downwardly to the rear with steam pipes in said chamber extending laterally across above and below the conveyer having perforations to dis' tribute the steam through the chamber, and a water pipe at the highest point of said floor to furnish flushing water therefor, said 75 steam and water pipes being connected outside the chamber with valves to control the? flow whereby either steam or water or both may be supplied to said chamber.

BLANCH WALDEN GINN.

Vitnesses M. A. Wool), A. L. FAHNESTOCK. 

